Our Mission

At Venture Out Wellness, we believe in a future where military service members and first responders no longer have to choose between seeking help and protecting their careers. By addressing physical pain at its root and equipping frontline defenders with practical, sustainable solutions, we’re creating a culture of proactive wellness—one where those who serve can continue doing what they love with less pain, while remaining mission-ready.

Our Story

Founded in January 2022, Venture Out Wellness, PLLC is a woman-veteran-owned company on a mission to empower military service members and first responders to overcome frontline pain. After serving for over 15 years across military and civilian healthcare systems both in the U.S. and internationally, our founder, Dr. Karen Thomas, PT, DPT, witnessed a critical gap in proactive health and wellness support for frontline defenders.

Many of these dedicated professionals endure physical pain while avoiding traditional medical care due to three common fears:

Fear of losing their special duty status
Fear of career repercussions
Fear of being perceived as weak or unfit

At Venture Out Wellness, we exist to change this narrative. We provide frontline defenders with the tools and strategies they need to take control of their physical health—all while fostering a supportive community. By bridging the gap between strength & conditioning and clinical care, we empower our clients to maintain their readiness, resilience, and quality of life without fear of stigma or career disruption.

Why We Do It

Too many frontline defenders live with chronic pain, not because they’re injured, but because they lack accessible, stigma-free solutions. They silently push through discomfort to avoid “blowback,” restricted duty status, or jeopardizing their careers. This cycle of avoidance not only compromises their physical health but can also impact their operational readiness.

That’s why we created The Clarify & Conquer™ System.

What We Offer

Crafted by Dr. Thomas—a seasoned Air Force Veteran and Doctor of Physical Therapy—the Clarify & Conquer™ System is a step-by-step framework designed to help frontline defenders troubleshoot and manage their pain. Delivered through self-paced online courses, this system accommodates the unpredictable schedules of military service members and first responders while empowering them to reclaim control over their physical well-being.

Each course targets a specific type of pain commonly experienced by frontline defenders, such as low back pain.

The program is structured around a simple, effective three-step process:

Understand Your Body

Learn the anatomy and physiology related to the pain you’re experiencing

Identify Your Unique Needs

Conduct a comprehensive self-assessment to pinpoint physical impairments contributing to your pain

Take Action

Implement targeted exercises to reduce pain, prevent injury, and maintain operational readiness

Through this proactive and accessible approach, we provide frontline defenders with the knowledge and confidence to overcome pain, stay in the fight, and elevate their mission readiness and quality of life.

Meet the Founder

Dr. Karen Thomas, PT, DPT

Air Force Veteran | Physical Therapist | Founder of Venture Out Wellness

Dr. Karen Thomas, Air Force Veteran and Doctor of Physical Therapy, has dedicated nearly two decades to serving military service members and first responders around the globe. Her journey began in 2007, inspired by working with a Wounded Warrior recovering from a traumatic brain injury. This transformative experience fueled her commitment to empowering frontline defenders to overcome pain and enhance readiness.

As a former active-duty and reserve Air Force Physical Therapist, Dr. Thomas has led clinic operations, spearheaded Human Performance Training Centers, and worked with elite military teams. Along the way, she witnessed a troubling cycle of preventable injuries and hesitation to seek care due to stigma and career concerns.

In 2022, she founded Venture Out Wellness to address these challenges proactively. Her mission is to equip service members and first responders with the tools and knowledge for self-managed pain relief, improving operational readiness and quality of life. Through evidence-based programs, she aims to empower these heroes to thrive during service and beyond.

Join Dr. Thomas on this transformative journey to support our defenders and build a future where every guardian of peace can also protect their own well-being.

The experiences have been both challenging and rewarding, but not without revealing a deeper, systemic issue that would steer my path forward.

During my years working with the military, a troubling pattern emerged: a cycle of preventable injuries and a pervasive sense of frustration and hopelessness among the service members and first responders I worked with. Many were reluctant to seek medical help, driven by fears of career repercussions, being perceived as weak, or facing negative backlash. Regrettably, by the time some decided to seek help, their conditions had not only become chronic but had also multiplied, leaving them facing a constellation of physical impairments. This delay in seeking care meant that members were now more compromised than ever, facing a daunting path to recovery that required significant time and effort in the clinic to address the myriad of issues, profoundly diminishing their quality of life.

In 2023, a pivotal realization catalyzed a transformative shift in my career, steering me towards a new path in starting Venture Out Wellness and leaving my clinical career behind me. I had seen and heard enough; I could no longer continue waiting in the clinic for frontline defenders to come to me for help. I realized I would need to step into a more proactive role and not only venture out to help them, but equip them with the knowledge and tools necessary for self-managed pain relief, thereby dismantling the barriers to seeking medical help.

This journey, fueled by a profound sense of purpose, is dedicated to addressing a critical dilemma that plagues our frontline defenders: the harsh choice between inadequate medical resources and the silence borne out of fear and stress. Having witnessed this challenge in clinics and hospitals globally throughout my career, I am now poised to make my most significant impact by empowering these heroes on a grander scale. This initiative not only aims to reduce the risk of injury and chronic pain but also to enhance operational readiness and elevate the quality of life for our frontline defenders, setting the stage for a healthier, more active post-service life.

Join me on this transformative journey with Venture Out Wellness, where service members and first responders are empowered to take control of their health, ensuring they are as strong and resilient as the communities they protect. Together, we can build a future where every guardian of peace is also a guardian of their own well-being.

Do you experience low back pain after work?

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